A man who took a car without permission has been given a suspended sentence.

Matthew Acheson (18), with an address of Spout Walk, Fivemiletown, was convicted of taking a motor vehicle without authority, having no insurance, no driving licence and criminal damage concerning an incident which took place between May 19 and May 21.

On May 20, at around 2.30am, police received a report from the injured party that Acheson had taken his car without permission.

He said Acheson had arrived at his house earlier in the evening. He went to sleep at 1.30am, leaving Acheson asleep in the house.

At 2am, he was awakened by a phone call from Acheson, who said he had taken his vehicle and was in Belfast. Acheson apologised to the victim, saying he could not go back to prison, the court heard.

The injured party told police he had not given Acheson permission to take his vehicle. An extensive search took place, but Acheson could not be located.

Later on, a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Letter Road, Kesh, was made and police discovered two males in the vehicle. Acheson was in the driver's seat.

He made off into a wooded area before being located by police and taken to Omagh Police Station.

Ciaran Roddy, barrister for Acheson, told the court the relationship between the injured party and Acheson was one that could have a potentially negative effect on his client.

But, he added, Acheson accepted his wrongdoing on this occasion and had to face the consequences.

Mr. Roddy said Acheson had a limited record for driving offences and while he was not a first-time offender, asked the court to counterbalance that with Acheson's guilty plea.

He also pointed out Acheson had almost spent the equivalent of a four-month sentence on remand for this matter.

In sentencing Acheson, Deputy District Judge Phillip Mateer said he had a significant criminal record for an 18-year-old and this incident occurred within a year of a suspended sentence being imposed.

He said he had to bear in mind that Acheson was a very young person, and courts do not lock young people up for long periods, and he already served the equivalent of four months for these offences.

Taking into account the time served, Judge Mateer handed down a four-month sentence, suspended for two years, along with a six-month driving ban, and warned Acheson that if he did not stay out of trouble he would inevitably go to prison.